What musical instrument do you play??

irukandjisting · Post by **irukandjisting** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:27 am

What kind of music do you like?
What instrument do you play?
what instrument would you like to learn?

DutchGirl · Post by **DutchGirl** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:05 am

I have had piano lessons and can play a bit. I have had harp lessons and can play a bit. I have had singing lessons and can sing a bit.
I'm probably better at any of these instruments than the guy sitting at our train station collecting money making "music" on his accordion, but that's only because that guy really really can't play well. That is the main reason also why I don't pay him for his efforts.
I would like to improve my proficiency on the harp, but when I started doing my PhD I had neither the time nor the money to keep it and keep at it. Maybe later

setiramisu · Post by **setiramisu** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:09 am

I like classical and pop music.
I used to play ukulele and flute as I kid but have outgrown them.
I would really like to be able to learn and play the piano very well. Violin and guitar too, but I guess that would be too much for a woman turning 33 soon, is it or is it not?

DutchGirl · Post by **DutchGirl** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:24 am

I learned harp when I was 25 and I accomplished a pretty steep learning curve. What the kids learned in one year, we went through in 3 months. Learned piano as a kid: wasn't motivated, didn't like it, didn't understand some of it. Learned harp as a 25-year-old: was motivated, loved it, understood more of the "why". So I would definitely go for it. You'll never be a wunderkind anymore, but you can become good enough at it, to enjoy playing and to enjoy listening to what you play.

mikeBOS · Post by **mikeBOS** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:54 am

I'm a pretty good guitarist and a competent drummer. I like taking my favorite old songs and making them my own so I can play them with just my guitar. Lots of Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Willy Nelson-esque stuff.
In fact, here I am doing a Joe Purdy cover (recorded on my built-in laptop mic): http://lackingambition.com/cantgetitrighttoday.mp3
I really should get around to setting up a proper little recording station at home and get back into playing more frequently.
And I will absolutely learn to play piano properly sometime soon.

irukandjisting · Post by **irukandjisting** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:56 am

Tonight I am learning Mad World by Gary Jules -
'all around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces....'
on my piano...

chenda · Post by **chenda** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:02 am

I had piano lessons when I was small and hated it; it put me off music for years sadly.
I like the idea of playing the harp now though.

DutchGirl · Post by **DutchGirl** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:11 am

@Chenda: I rented a harp for a while, that was pretty cheap ($20 monthly?) compared to buying; definitely worth it if you want to try it first for a few months. Buying a small practice harp starts at I believe about $2k; the good thing is that they age well if you treat them well, so you can also sell them for about that amount. But still, if you just want to try it first, rent a harp...
(Of course if you're really hardcore ERE you'll BUILD one...).

chenda · Post by **chenda** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:24 am

@dutchgirl thanks, I think I might give it a go!
Did you teach yourself or have lessons ?

irukandjisting · Post by **irukandjisting** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:30 am

Try Lyre Harp... U tube

Chad · Post by **Chad** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:48 am

Learning any kind of instrument seems like it would be rather cool (I have zero first hand experience), but harp seems really cool because it's so rare.

Christopherjart · Post by **Christopherjart** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:56 pm

I sing. I learned piano and guitar years ago, but I'm bad at both due to lack of practice. I prefer the visual arts.

Meliora · Post by **Meliora** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:13 pm

I have played the harp for about a year when I was 16-17. I was really enamored with it, but unfortunately I had to quit when I moved for my studies. Maybe I can pick it up again when I am retired, haha!

bluepearl · Post by **bluepearl** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:10 pm

hehe, I used to play piano when I was a little kid, never liked it cos I was forced into it.
I also played guzhang in high school. It's a chinese musical instrument.
My dad was poor growing up, so he never took up any musical instrument. At the grand old age of 75+, he started learning violin. He is not playing very well of course, but I can see his joy and sense of accomplishment.
If I have any ERE mind set it's inherited from him

There is hope. And yes, I'm inspired to get a piano after paying off my mortgages (thanks nami for the inspiration)

J_ · Post by J_ » Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:49 pm

@mikeBos; good voice and good sounding guitar, thanks
On senior age (about 50) I started to play piano. I like the sound of a piano so much that some years later I bought the greatest present I ever gave to myself. A grand piano of topclass, not even second hand!
The first five years of RE I got very good lessons of an english professional teacher and made six grades out of the eight. So when I study long and intensive I can play some of the easiest sonata's of Mozart and pieces of Bach, my favorites. I listen to myself and I am happy hearing the beautiful sound.

But in general im I am a todler trying to drive a Rolls.
In recent years I have done other things and hardly play on it, I will see what serendipity brings:

inspiration to go on or sell it and play something else.

Spartan_Warrior · Post by **Spartan_Warrior** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:25 am

Singer here. The most ERE choice, naturally.

I'm a Baritone and can competently* mimic Frank Sinatra, Jim Morrison, Eric Burdon, etc. However, I sing along to anything even if it's horribly out of my range. I listen to mostly classic rock, with a few choice picks from other genres and recent years.
*Assumption of competence based on karaoke reactions.
I also have some lessons in piano but I'm actually less competent with that, having never devoted the time to memorize key positions and learn to read music.
I don't really want to learn any instrument. If I were to take my musical interests further, I'd ideally a) join a band as a singer and b) work on song writing, but the opportunity has never presented itself, and I don't care enough to seek it. Fiction is my creative outlet of choice, and music is just something I do to pass time mostly.

Dragline · Post by **Dragline** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:35 am

Trombone. And a little piano.
One of my retirement activities will be working on harmonica skills. And singing Tom Waits songs on the corner.

RelicO · Post by **RelicO** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:48 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uye4NIn0dmo&feature=plcp
That's me. I thought it would be so weird to sing Radiohead operatically! It was an open mike, there were mostly dull love songs and crap like that...Mine was more...unusual.
Ha.

dragoncar · Post by **dragoncar** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:09 am

LOL the next meetup should be a jam session.

Shandi76 · Post by **Shandi76** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:12 pm

I took cello lessons (we used to get free lessons in school, but they stopped that now) from age 10 to 17.
I loved it, but haven't played since. It's just such a big instrument to keep in a small place and they are rather expensive unless you buy one of the cheap new ones manufactured in China that sound dreadful. I thought about renting a cello a couple of years ago (£50 for 3 months) but I was so out of practice and didn't have time to take lessons at that time, so never did in the end.